13.10.2025 12:23
In the earthquake on February 6, teacher Emine Barutçu, who was trapped under the rubble for nine days, deeply affected viewers while recounting those dark days on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Her words, "They thought I was dead," brought tears to the studio. Barutçu has become a symbol of resistance, holding on to life with her prosthetics and starting anew.
ATV's beloved quiz show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" featured an unforgettable episode this week. 27-year-old Emine Barutçu, a preschool teacher living in Antakya, participated in the competition. A graduate of Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Barutçu deeply affected the audience by sharing her experience of the February 6 earthquake in Antakya.
"I was trapped under the rubble for nine days without eating or drinking anything. I lost my mother and father. Now I only have one brother," said Barutçu, whose words caused emotional moments in the studio. It was emphasized that the contestant uses a prosthetic arm and leg, yet continues to teach.
"THEY THOUGHT I WAS DEAD"
Describing the rescue process, Barutçu said, "When I later spoke with the TTK miners who rescued me, they told me they thought I was dead. My arm was trapped, and I had fallen sideways. May God bless them a thousand times."
Host Oktay Kaynarca expressed his astonishment by asking, "Did you not have access to water for nine days?" Barutçu's calmness and will to live affected everyone in the studio.
Throughout the competition, Emine Barutçu performed successfully in questions primarily focused on culture, history, and geography, carefully using her lifelines to pass the threshold and reach the high prize questions.
However, the contestant was eliminated after giving an incorrect answer to the 11th question. Nevertheless, she left the competition with a grand prize of 300,000 TL.